Houston is a large international city with the second busiest port in the nation, and is host to many high profile events including the Super Bowl in 2017. The city’s commerce and proximity to the Southwest Border make it a magnet for domestic and international human trafficking. This hearing will focus on Houston as a case study to further understand trafficking in major U.S. cities. Witnesses will include trafficking survivors and local, state and federal law enforcement.

Chairman McCaul on the hearing: “Human trafficking is a growing epidemic around the world. In the United States, more than 14,000 people – men, women and children – are trafficked each year. While its close proximity to major highways, ports-of-entry and the Mexican border make Houston a model city for commerce, human traffickers are taking advantage of these means to exploit domestic and international victims. DHS and its components are working together to combat human trafficking every day. However, we must do more to root out and stop this horrific crime.

“The purpose of this hearing is to raise awareness and find ways to bring an end to human trafficking across the country, beginning by examining the movement across our Southern border. I am grateful for the survivors who have bravely agreed to join us to shed critical light on this issue, and I look forward to hearing from federal, state and local witnesses on their experiences in combating human trafficking and ways we can improve our efforts.”

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Facts About Human Trafficking:

Human trafficking is not human smuggling. Trafficking victims are sold into prostitution and forced labor.

An estimated 100,000 U.S. children become victims of sex trafficking annually (Source: Government Accountability Office).

An estimated 1 out of 3 runaway children are lured into trafficking with 48 hours of leaving home (Source: Children at Risk).

The average age of entry into sex trafficking is 12-13 years old (Source: Children at Risk).